Meet the team
We are a group of employed and independent practitioners working collaboratively to best support you and your family.
Meet the Team-The Directors
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She/her
I’m Dr Katie Adolphus, a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years’ experience. I started my working life in the NHS in 1995, qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1999 and have worked independently since 2009.
I’ve worked in Specialist Hospital settings, such as Great Ormond Street, and in Community Child & Adolescent Mental Health Teams (CAMHS) and coordinated services for autistic children in a London Borough. I have also been part of a childhood anxiety research project at Reading University providing an innovative form of therapy. I have also lectured at Exeter University, helping train Primary Wellbeing Practitioners to support children and young people who are autistic and/or have a learning disability.
What am I like as a person?
I’m knowledgeable, professional and experienced. I’m also understanding, straightforward and compassionate; caring deeply about my client’s frustrations, anxieties and concerns. I’m a good listener who likes to work in a collaborative way using a combination of expertise, experience and team work to help you find a positive way forward.
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I’m Kathryn Adolphus and alongside my wife, Katie, I am Company Director and Practice Manager of the family-run Adolphus Practice. I manage our waiting list and plan capacity and availability with the clinical team. I will be your first point of contact once assessment dates have been offered.
I look after our people and all things ‘behind the scenes’, ensuring the team feel well supported. Katie and I collaborate closely to refine our processes and systems and plan future growth of the practice.
I worked as a veterinary nurse during my early career history, progressing to a senior role. I have since worked as a driving instructor and civil servant but have worked within the NHS for many years. Most recently before relocating to Wiltshire, for Yorkshire Ambulance Service in my home county as a part of one of their four specialist palliative care crews. It was an extremely rewarding role. We were very fortunate to have received funding to provide special, final trips for some patients. I will never forget the visits we facilitated for our patients, allowing them to see loved ones, places and pets one last time.
What am I like as a person? I have a compassionate nature - organised and thorough and have an eye for detail and I would like to think, a great sense of humour...others may disagree!
I enjoy a good documentary, crime drama or stand up comedy and currently enjoying historical crime books. I’m also a huge animal lover and a keen gardener with a passion for growing vegetables. I’m also a bit of a foodie with a love of cooking and nice restaurants. I enjoy the countryside and feel lucky to now live in the beautiful county of Wiltshire, although nothing beats being in my happy place, listening to the waves on a Cornish beach.
The Admin Team
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I am Jessica De Mala, Administrative Assistant here at The Adolphus Practice. I hold a MSc in Global Business Operations from Birmingham City University as well as a Bachelors of Communications. As a somewhat recent transplant from the East Coast of the United States I bring over 15 years of experience in sales, customer service and operations in global companies. Specifically with 5 years medical office management in the United States. I am excited to bring my expertise to this one of a kind, family-run practice. Helping to make every client's journey a smooth and successful one.
What am I like as a person?
I am a friendly and supportive, extroverted introvert. I love learning new things and finding the best ways to accomplish everything from daily tasks to my biggest goals! When I’m not at work you can find me exploring local trails and hikes with my partner, listening to the latest audiobook, or spending time with friends and family.
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I’m Billie Lodrick and I provide administrative support to The Adolphus Practice. Within the practice, I work closely with the clinical team to support the coordination and sending of reports and I’m often the first person you’ll speak to if you get in touch with an initial enquiry. My role is very much behind the scenes, helping everything run smoothly and as stress free as possible.
What am I like as a person?
I’m warm, approachable and quietly reassuring. I care deeply about helping families feel supported, informed and at ease, especially during times that can feel overwhelming or uncertain. When I’m not at my laptop, you’ll most likely find me at the beach with my black Labrador, headphones on listening to a podcast, or planning the next adventure with my nearest and dearest.
Assessment team members
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I am Dr Claire Radbourne, Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Lead at the Adolphus Practice. I began working in the NHS in 2004 and qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 2008. Before moving into independent practice, I worked in NHS learning disability services in London and the South East for over 14 years. Prior to training, I worked in an autism residential service and I also gained experience working with adults post ADHD diagnosis at the Maudsley Hospital in London. I have a wealth of experience and expertise in the provision of assessment, as well as therapy, to neurodivergent adults and young people, and have provided consultation and training to staff teams and services both within and outside of the NHS. I have extensive experience of conducting diagnostic assessments as part of multidisciplinary specialist teams and have undergone training in a number of autism and ADHD diagnostic and assessment tools, which I incorporate into my assessment work at The Adolphus Practice. I also provide examining and teaching to the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Course at the University of Southampton.
What am I like as a person?
As well as being knowledgeable, skilled and professional, I am compassionate and non-judgemental and described by others as being easy to talk to. I am motivated to develop a shared understanding of an individual’s life experiences and how they may or may not relate to neurodiversity. My aim is to develop a collaborative sense of what will help improve wellbeing and enable an individual to live a life aligned with their individual strengths and values.
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She/her
I’m Dr Jennifer Turner, a qualified Clinical Psychologist since 2014. I’ve worked in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and undertaken autism assessments both privately, and for the NHS. I have also worked in services that help young neurodivergent people with mental health difficulties (anxiety, obsessional and compulsive behaviours, low mood and depression) and their families, to access education. I am trained to offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) interventions specially adapted for neurodiverse children and young people.
What am I like as a person? I am warm-hearted, skilled and professional, using a combination of expertise, experience and understanding to find the positive solutions and outcomes you need. I offer a safe and inclusive space to enable young people to explore experiences and feelings. I have a particular interest in working with neurodiverse young women.
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She/her
I’m Dr Helen Care, Clinical Psychologist and qualified Autism and ADHD assessor. I spent 13 years as a qualified psychologist working for the NHS with young people and adults. I developed a special interest in developmental and cognitive assessment in children, particularly in the under 5s. Since 2019, I have worked in independent practice, supporting and offering therapy and consultation to young people, their families and their schools, about a range of needs including neurodivergence. I have specialist training in EMDR (an approach for working with trauma and traumatic memories) including EMDR adapted for neurodivergent children and young people.
What am I like as a person? I am warm, curious and non-judgemental. I like humour and above all I like stories– I like telling them, hearing them and writing them. I love helping young people to tell their own stories and find their own pathways towards the stories about themselves that they want to tell.
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(She/Her)
I’m Dr Sharon McKinnon, an Independent Clinical Psychologist since 2017, having previously worked for the NHS both before and after completing my clinical psychology doctorate in 1999.
My specialisms are therapeutic parenting, attachment-based approaches and developmental trauma. For 17 years, I worked as part of a multi-agency team for children with complex behavioural and mental health difficulties, specialising in children who are looked after and adopted. I’m also trained to complete autism assessments.
What am I like as a person? I am thoughtful, respectful, considerate and calm. In addition to my role as an Independent Clinical Psychologist, and my assessment work with the Adolphus Practice, I am also a qualified Yoga Teacher. I have an interest in working with care-experienced young people, and families created through adoption. I use my knowledge and experience to help find the most positive way forward for you and your child.
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She/her
I’m Dr Christina White, a qualified Clinical Psychologist and experienced autism assessor. Since qualifying from Cardiff University in 2009, I have worked in the NHS extensively with adults with intellectual disabilities (learning disabilities) and autistic adults.
I offer Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focussed Therapy (CFT) for a range of emotional difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, and emotional regulation. I can work with people who have experienced traumatic and adverse life events. I am skilled in being able to adapt these approaches for neurodiverent people or people with intellectual disabilities in order for them to fully access psychological therapy.
What am I like as a person? I am thoughtful, caring and have a deep interest in supporting people to understand and adapt to the discovery that they are autistic. I can work with the individual and, if appropriate, alongside family members and carers to facilitate understanding. I offer a compassionate and reflective space to discuss any concerns, as well as support to recognise your strengths and resources, working towards your hopes and goals for the future.
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She/her
I am Sophie Dutton, an Assistant Psychologist at The Adolphus Practice. I hold a BSc in Psychology from the University of Birmingham and an MSc in Pharmacology from King’s College London. Post-degree work experience as a Trainee Trust Fundraiser for St Martin-in-the-Fields Social Care Unit ignited a desire to work within a person-centered environment. I went on to complete a PGCE in Primary Education at The Institute of Education, London and obtained Qualified Teacher Status.
After relocating to Wiltshire and raising a family, I returned to education and continue to work with primary-aged children as a Teaching Assistant, Behaviour Support practitioner and ELSA practitioner. I am passionate about being able to provide targeted and focused learning/behavioural/social and emotional support and currently work part-time at a local primary school. I plan, deliver, assess, evaluate and adapt a wide range of academic, social-emotional and behavioural interventions; carefully considering wellbeing and celebrating the individuality of each child I work with.
What am I like as a person?
Above all, I am enthusiastic, compassionate and deeply committed to helping young people and their families, working with empathy and respect. In my free time, I enjoy being active and my ‘happy place’ is in the mountains, where I love to hike and ski with friends and family.
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I am Libby Drust, an Assistant Psychologist at The Adolphus Practice. I hold a BSc in Psychology from the University of Bath and, as part of my university experience, had the privilege of working as an Honorary Assistant Psychologist within the NHS. In this role, I had the opportunity to engage with diverse populations across the services Psychological Therapies Team, Intensive Service, and Art Therapies Team. These experiences gave me a rich understanding of psychological principles and the importance of tailoring approaches to suit client needs.
Whilst at university, I volunteered to support neurodivergent students adapting to university life, helping them navigate challenges and thrive in a new, dynamic environment. Additionally, I worked as an Activities Coordinator under the government's Holiday and Food Scheme, supporting children from various backgrounds through meaningful and creative engagement.
What am I like as a person?
I would say that I am a thoughtful, caring, and compassionate individual. I am motivated to create safe spaces where people feel seen, heard, and understood. In my free time, I enjoy being out in nature and engaging with my creative side.
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I’m Helen Frost, a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over 20 years experience in autism, as well as a qualified Psychotherapist. I have worked in London, Swindon, Bath and Wiltshire in various settings in education, in the NHS, in mental health settings and in private practice. I have extensive experience delivering autism diagnostic assessments within a multidisciplinary team and am passionate about the assessment process being a therapeutic collaboration between client and professional.
What am I like as a person? I am a sociable introvert, with a calm, containing nature and a focussed curiosity in the world and its population. I love getting to know new people and learning from new insights and perspectives. I also love being in nature, giving myself time to refuel and rebalance. I work in a thoughtful, person-centred way.
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(She/Her)
I’m Sally Leung, a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) with over 25 years’ experience, and an autism and ADHD specialist since 2004.
I’ve been Lead SLT in this field for a London borough, worked closely with specialist teams in CAMHS and education and have extensive experience in conducting autism and ADHD diagnostic assessments. I have also developed new therapy approaches and packages for autistic children and those with ADHD.
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I am Dr Sue Smith and I have over thirty years of experience managing and working in autism diagnostic teams. After working as a Speech and Language Therapist and service manager in several NHS Learning Disability teams, I then developed and managed a local NHS autism diagnostic service and currently I lead a national diagnostic service.
Over my career I have worked with both children and adults and have had specific experience working with people facing mental health challenges, people in the criminal justice system as well people with learning disability and children struggling to access school.
My passion is driven by my own experiences as part of a neurodivergent family and a belief in partnership working with service users and a neuro-affirmative approach
My hope is that an assessment process can also be an intervention that, if done well, will be a key part of a person’s therapeutic journey.
What am I like as a person? I love to meet people and I think I am good at helping people to feel at ease. I am a friendly soul and like to be pretty active outside of work on my bike, walking or with a multitude of pets
WE USE IDENTITY FIRST LANGUAGE
The Adolphus Practice uses identity-first language (‘Autistic person’).
We do this because, after listening to the autistic community we understand that the majority prefer it. Of course, if you would like us to use person-first language, we will be very happy to do so.